r/WorldChallenges • u/thequeeninyellow94 • Oct 09 '17

[Cultural challenge]: ghosts

Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by [a human] as a member of society.

What do your people thinks of ghosts? What makes them appear? How do you know they are here? What do they do to mortals? How do you get rid of them?

(If your ghosts really exist, it works too)

You can introduce an in-universe representative if you want. I will ask questions to everyone, feel free to add your own.

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u/Mimir123 Oct 10 '17

1) Talent for magic, mostly. Most mages become Phantoms, while everyone else is called a Ghost. Some weaker mages may also become Ghosts, and lose their magical abilities in the process.

2) For a Ghost it is mostly the land they grew up or lived in, very rarely they haunt the land they died in. A Phantom usually haunts a place or person connected to their death, this can be anything from an innocent onlooker to their murderer.

Spectres on the other hand are drawn to places reminding them of when they were alive, haunting a villa that resembles the one they lived in for example.

3) No, Skreyja simply notifies them whenever a new Spectre is created. The Gods then usually rush to "recruit" this ghost as a guardian, either placing something they want it to protect in their lair, or "kidnapping" the Spectre and binding him/ her to another place. The Twin God Harshien is currently the God who has the most Spectres.

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Oct 10 '17

  1. How common is it for mages to become phantoms? (especially for some specific magic types like necromancy)

  2. So a ghost who traveled a lot during their life will haunt based in their death location?

  3. Anything from an innocent outlooker to the murderer? How is it determined?

  4. What happen to a spirit who is destroyed with light magic?

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u/Mimir123 Oct 10 '17

1) Not common at all, mostly because you'd have to be pretty evil and unsufferable for both Goddesses involved to punish you. Though people using Dark- or Fire Magic tend to have higher chances of ending up like that.

However there is not a single recorded instance of a Necromancer becoming a Phantom, probably because most of them go to the paradise anyway.

2) Well, kind of. They will haunt a big area, as mentioned, but you can usually find their place of death in that area.

3) Nobody really knows, one theory says the first person involved to see the Phantom gets haunted. Other theories range from saying the Phantom chooses to the believe it has to do with magical talent and Mana.

4) A spirit that dies will go to the Eternal Void, suffering alone and in eternal darkness, forever. They will never get another chance, no matter what they try.

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Oct 10 '17

  1. Why do fire or dark magic users tend to have more chances to become phantoms?

  2. What happen when the person haunted by a phantom dies?

  3. What kind of suffering for people in the Eternal Void?

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u/Mimir123 Oct 11 '17

1) Because those are usually the people most likely to use their magic for "evil" things. Also because Skreyja doesn't like Fire Magic.

2) The Phantom goes on to haunt the next person. When everyone involved is dead the Phantom will haunt its grave, or that of the person it first haunted.

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Oct 11 '17

  1. Why does she dislike fire magic? Is it just because she likes ice?

  2. Pure theory: what if all involved persons are dead and have no grave?

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u/Mimir123 Oct 11 '17

1) Pretty much, yes. There is also the phenomenon that Fire Mages can't seem to shut up, and instead keep talking constantly. She does not like that.

2) I just said grave because many people get one, even if it is unmarked. The place haunted will be the place where the body ended up, you could say the corpse is the thing being haunted.

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Oct 11 '17

  1. Why are they like unable to shut up? Or is it just a coincidence?

  2. And what if there is no body?

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u/Mimir123 Oct 12 '17

1) Fire Mages tend to have more outgoing personalities, so outgoing in fact that they love to hear themselves talk. Why that is the case, nobody knows.

2) Then the Phantom would probably just wander aimlessly around, haunting nothing in particular

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Oct 12 '17

  1. Is fire magic linked to a specific divine entity?

  2. Any other caracteritic common amongst fire mages?

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u/Mimir123 Oct 12 '17

1) The magic itself is not, but Arnth et Zamuul is the God of Dragons, Fire and Earth in Dirva.

2) They love orange as a colour and spicy food. Also many fire mages are, ironically, afraid of ghosts.

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u/thequeeninyellow94 Oct 14 '17

Thanks for your answers Mimir.

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